West Wight Sports Centre is not the sort of place you would associate with saving energy.

But the Freshwater facility impressed judges of the 2003 Green Island Awards who chose the centre as one of only six establishments to be awarded a gold medal for its efforts in saving the planet.

The award was well-earned because a whole raft of green-minded measures are used at the Moa Place facility.

Simple steps such as ensuring all users are aware of public transport links to more complicated ones like fitting all heating systems with closely monitored clocks and the intricate measuring of all water, gas and electricity consumption are all employed at West Wight.

"As a charitable trust providing an essential service to the local community and with very limited funds, the potential financial benefits of environmentally friendly practises are very high on our agenda," said centre manager Clare Griffin.

She accepted the award during an award ceremony at Ventnor Botanic Gardens

Future plans include using recycled swimming pool water to flush toilets and the installation of solar and/or photovoltaic power.

Other gold award winners in the first Green Island Awards were Heathfield Farm Camping; Calbourne Water Mill; Medina Valley Centre; Afton Park and Frenchman's Cove.

Silver awards went to Heather-leigh Hotel, North Court, Sentry Mead Hotel, Riverside Centre, Lower Hyde Holiday Park, Dimbola Lodge, Osborne House Gardens, Hillgrove Park and the Quay Arts Centre while bronze medals went to Dinosaur Isle, Shanklin Chine and the Isle of Wight Coastal Visitor Centre.